rawaction

I'm still not worried. For one, there are people I consider cap experts, or at least cap knowledgeable people on RealGM that are saying that Miami can't sign all 3 even if Beasley is traded. I guess it's possible that one or more of them sign for less, but it doesn't seem plausible. That's something you do in your 30's when your willing to sacrifice stats and whatever to win a title that has eluded you your career. I cant imagine Wade and James and even Bosh are willing to sacrifice their stats in the prime of their careers, when they are worried about things like legacy, and being amongst the greats of NBA history. In 20 years people will start to forget that these players sacrificed their careers for titles, and start only looking at numbers and see that LBJ for instance doesn't compare with other greats. Anyways, it's possible that LeBron is considering this, but ultimately I don't think he can allow himself to do that. It's between Chicago and Cleveland in my mind. Winning championships will be their legacy. I don't think so. Kobe is 1 away from equalling Jordan's 6 rings, but his first 3 are almost not included because he was the 2nd fiddle to Shaq. Carrying a team to a championship will be their legacy. None of them will get that chance if they are all playing together.

Pirates have lost 17 straight road games. Pirates have dominated the Cubs this year. Something has to give......right?

I agree. Scouts have questioned whether he'll be able to continue to draw so many walks as he moves up to higher levels, so it will be interesting to see whether he can prove them wrong. I don't know why that would change much as he advances. Patience is the one thing that usually translates pretty well to the majors. not if a guy can't hit for power (reggie willits' walk rate evaporated, theriot's is down, etc), but jackson at least will have doubles/triples power and should hit 10-15 homers a year, if not more. if he hits for jeter-type power and keeps up his patient approach, there's no reason he can't draw a good number of walks in the high minors and eventually the majors. Comparing him to Reggie Willets? Seriously? First off, that's a horrible comparison. Willets' ISOP in the minors was .091. Brett Jackson is at an even .200 this year. Jackson has 6 HRs already, while Willets never hit more than 5 in any season and just 15 in his entire baseball career (2500 ABs in minors and majors). Secondly, it's not at all true that Willets' walk rate evaporated. His walk rate was .130 in the minors. It is .136 in the majors. Theriot's is lower, but if that's your argument....see the 1st paragraph.

Big game today. With a win today, the Cubs can get back to single digit games under .500. They can also stave off falling behind double digits in the division. It's 30 minutes til gametime, and I guess everyone is too nervous about the monumental consequences of this game to post the gamethread. I'm so anxious about this game that I'm going to NOT watch it in fear that it will be too much for my relatively healthy heart.

Didn't watch the 2nd half of Germany/England, but the first half and the 2 games yesterday were both excellent games to watch. I'm not a big soccer fan, but I don't think I've ever seen 2 1/2 more entertaining games.

The object will be a better team, or at least shed some pieces and start rebuilding. Lee needs to go, and probably will unless he takes a 1 year deal, and even then, if 2011 really is strictly a rebuilding year, I might prefer to just go with Hoffpauir. If Z isnt traded, hes in the rotation. The 8th inning experiment was idiotic. Theres really no point signing De La Rosa or Lowry and keeping Gorz to the pen when we could just keep Gorz in the rotation. With Z, Demp, Silva, Wells, Gorz, Marshall, Cashner, Jackson, Diamond, and even Samardjia and Atkins around, I really see no reason to go after a starter unless a top tier guy becomes availablesuch as Cliff Lee or Dan Haren. Id like to have Vazquez or Hudson, if he could stay healthy, but the issues that need adressing are offense, and to a lesser extent bullpen, and the pen could probably be fixed internally. I thought you said "predict" what the Cubs will look like, not what you want the Cubs to look like. The fact that it doesn't make logical sense makes it a pretty realistic prediction of what the Cubs will do. Do you honestly think it's realistic that the Cubs rebuild, when they are still going to have 100Mil tied up in Soriano, Dempster, Z, Ramirez, Byrd, and possibly Fukudome and Silva (who even if they get rid of them, the Cubs will still be paying a large portion of their salaries)?

In 12 games since the FSL All-Star game, Brett Jackson has hit. .306/.370/.796 ........IF YOU DON'T INCLUDE HIS SINGLES!!!! That's frickin' amazing. If you do include those measily singles, you are looking at a near 1.500 OPS hitter in his last 12 games. .469/.518/.959

I agree. Scouts have questioned whether he'll be able to continue to draw so many walks as he moves up to higher levels, so it will be interesting to see whether he can prove them wrong. I don't know why that would change much as he advances. Patience is the one thing that usually translates pretty well to the majors.

I think Lee gets re-signed to a 2-year deal. Cubs spend on pitching. C- Soto 1B- Lee 2B- Theriot SS- Castro 3B- Ramirez LF- Soriano CF- Byrd RF- Colvin Bench- RH OF to backup Colvin, backup C (I guess Hill still), maybe a Mora or Willington or Bill Hall to backup IF and Ramirez especially, Darwin Barney SP- Dempster, Wells, Cashner, and sign 2 pitchers; 1 RHP (Javier Vasquez, Tim Hudson), and a LHP (De la Rosa, Noah Lowry) CL- Marmol RP- Zambrano (on the team, establishes himself as a decent late inning RP the rest of this year and stays there), Marshall, Gorzellany, 2 of Stevens, Parker, Gaub, and sign JJ Putz to provide insurance for Z at setup

Everyone says it that way (including myself), but it's supposed to be "couldn't care less". If you could care less, that means that you do care a substantial amount but have the capability of caring less than you are currently.

Obviously not getting the 4th pick. I like the salary relief, but what the heck could the Wizards possibly give back?

Easily my favorite player on the team other than Toews and Kane. It sucks to see him go, but it had to be done. I do worry about trading away all our size (Buff and Eager) with one deal, though. The Hawks are designed for speed so I don't think it will be a big deal in the regular season. But when it comes to the playoffs, I think you need that size in front of the net to stuff the puck in. I think that was a huge key to the Hawks winning the Cup this year, and I think it was a huge reason why the Penguins didn't make it back there. If they can keep Ladd, he, Hossa and Kopecky are pretty big guys, and so is Brouwer, though I'm not sure what his status is. I think they have a couple big kids as well. Plus, they played almost all of last year without Dave Bolland, and while he's not all that big, he's a very solid 2-way center. They aren't all just little speed guys. Kane may be the only guy who you could describe as susceptible to physical domination. The NHL generally doesn't allow that anymore. Everybody has been talking about a lack of size and toughness on this team for 3 years now, but it has not come close to being an actual issue. They probably are going to need an "Eager" type player, but they aren't desperate. It's not just about getting physical though. It's that big body to put in front of the net to obstruct views and put in rebounds. I figured I was probably making a bigger deal out of it than it really is, though.

Easily my favorite player on the team other than Toews and Kane. It sucks to see him go, but it had to be done. I do worry about trading away all our size (Buff and Eager) with one deal, though. The Hawks are designed for speed so I don't think it will be a big deal in the regular season. But when it comes to the playoffs, I think you need that size in front of the net to stuff the puck in. I think that was a huge key to the Hawks winning the Cup this year, and I think it was a huge reason why the Penguins didn't make it back there.

Yup....I just have no idea why the Clippers would want to eat up all their cap space with Luol Deng. Because otherwise, it will just sit there when nobody willingly signs a contract there.

He is dead wrong saying versteeg is more valuable All he said the Hawks "appear" to value Versteeg's game more. That was a good read. I don't know much about about hockey and on first glimpse I thought: Reasoner's pretty old. He's probably a decent veteran presence to add. First and Second round picks? That's pretty good for not giving up a star. And who the hell is Morin? Good to read something that seems well informed and not written still on a post-Cup high.

hahahahahahaha That is incredible.

WOW! From eliminated to 1st seed in Group C.

Seriously? Seriously? This is effed up.

Funny. I was just watching the 2003 draft, and Dwayne Wade was there with his then wife. She was in tears for him. Who would have known she would go bat sh** crazy within 6-7 years.

So, I just made a huge blockbuster 3-team trade in this roto league. I give up: Matt Kemp, Matt Holliday, Clay Buchholz I get: Wainwright, KRod, Brandon Phillips, Brett Gardner, Manny Ramirez, and Josh Beckett My lineup would be: C-Posada 1B- Votto 2B- Phillips SS- Hanley 3B- Longoria OF- BJ Upton, Gardner, Manny U- Dunn SP- Price, Hughes, Oswalt, Wainwright, Beckett, Lester RP- Broxton, Wilson, KRod I take a hit in HR, RBI, SLG (actually, I am getting 2 HRs more so far this year). But should get a boost in AVG, OBP, runs. My fear is Manny and Gardner going into the tank and Holliday having a big 2nd half like last year. My pitching though should get better as Wainwright is better than Buchholz in ERA, WHIP, Ks, and QS. KRod provides ERA, WHIP, and saves. Beckett is just gravy if he comes back strong. What do you think?

Fake rally at its finest.

Not being exposed yet.

It's just you. Look at all the big names on the team and their paychecks.

Very few, if any, teams have a legit leadoff hitter. Cubs need a fast, black, slap-hitting, lefty CF.

All the LBs had their good moments last year, and all had some poor moments. I thought Briggs had his worst year in about 5-6 seasons. He started off great, ended great, but was lackluster in the middle. Roach was solid, but he had some mental lapses when he was in the middle. Hillenmeyer was solid, but isn't a starting LB like he was forced to do, and isn't good in coverage.